AT the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the ROYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION, held at the London Tavern on Tuesday the 13th of March, 1866, the Eight Hon. EARL PERCY, P.O., in the Chair, the following Report of the Committee was read by the Secretary:— AT the conclusion of one of the most stormy seasons on record, the Committee of the NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT INSTITUTION once again invite public attention to the results of their labours during the year that is past— again they desire gratefully to acknowledge the blessing which Divine Providence has bestowed on their endeavours to rescue human beings from death by shipwreck— and again they have to thank all those benevolent persons who, during the past year, have extended to the Institution their kind and generous support.

At no time, indeed, have the Committee felt greater need of the encouragement and aid of their fellow-countrymen, or a deeper sense of the responsibility involved by the important work which they have undertaken to pursue on the Coasts of the United Kingdom.

As in late previous years, the most noticeable feature in the history of the Institution during the past twelve months is the large number of splendid gifts of the entire cost of new life-boats presented by individuals or by inland towns, that have desired to show their sympathy with the cast-away mariner on our shores, and to take some share in the work of affording him help in the hour of his need.

The Committee have likewise pleasure in noticing the circumstance of the formation of a society similar to our own on the shores of France—" La Societe Centrale de Sauvetage des Naufrages," with the gallant Admiral RIGAULT DE GENOUILLY acting as its President, and which body already possesses no less than eleven lifeboats on the self-righting principle, all of which have been built by Messrs. FORRESTT and Son, under the direct superintendence of this Institution.

In common with the generality of the British public, the Committee have to regret the loss sustained by the community at large by the death of their late colleague Vice-Admiral FiTZ-RoY, F.R.S., whose laborious and zealous exertions, in the Meteorological Office of the Board of Trade, so greatly contributed to the benefit of the shipping community by the establishment and practical working of the system of "International Meteorologic Telegraphy;" by which the approach and direction of storms were foreseen and made known, with considerable accuracy, to all the principal seaports of these islands.

The details of the year's proceedings may be stated as follows, under the usual headings :— Life-boats.—The large number of thirtyseven new life-boats have been built, and most of them already placed on the coasts of the United Kingdom. Of these, nineteen have been provided to new stations, seventeen have replaced worn-out, decayed, or unsuitable boats, and one was sent to the Lizard Station, where the previous boat had been knocked to pieces on the rocks. The stations to which these boats have been sent, or are about to be sent, are as follows :— ENGLAND.

NORTHUMBERLAND . Holy Island.

North Sunderland.

Hauxley.

Newbiggin.

Cullercoats.

Tynemouth, No. 2.

DURHAM . . . . "Whitburn.

YORKSHIRE. . . . Runswick.

Upgang.

10 Bridlington.

NORFOLK . . . . Bacton.

Hasborough.

KENT Ramsgate.

Walmer.

Kingsdown.

SUSSEX Rye- Shoreham.

Worthing.

Selsey.

HAMPSHIRE . . 20 Hayling Island.

CORNWALL. . . . Lizard.

St. Ives.

CORNWALL DEVONSHIRE . Haylc.

. Ilfracombe.

WALES.

MERIONETHSHIRE . . Abcrdovcy.

ANGLESEY . . . . Ceralyn.

CUMBERLAND ISLE OF MAN WlGTONSniRE .

ABERDEEN SHIRE FORFARSHIRE .

FlFESHIRE .

Co. DOWN .

"WlCKLOW WEXFORD . . "VVhitehaven.

. Castletown.

SCOTLAND.

. . Port Logan.

. 30 Peterhead.

. Arbroath.

. . Anstruther.

IRELAND." . Ballywalter.

. . Wicklow.

Courtown.

. Cahore.

37 Rosslare.

Boat-houses and transporting-carriages ' have been likewise provided for nearly the whole of the above boats.

The Life-boats of the Institution now number no less than one hundred and sixtytwo.

Through their direct instrumentality, five hundred and thirty-two lives have been saved during the past year, nearly all of them under circumstances when no other description of boat could with safety have been used. They have likewise been the means of saving twenty vessels, and on eighty-five other occasions have proceeded to the assistance of vessels showing signals of distress, or being in apparent danger, but which did not ultimately need their aid. For these services, and for the saving of one hundred and eighty-two lives by shore-boats and other means, the Institution has granted rewards amounting to 1,1901, Whilst expressing their thankfulness for this glorious harvest of human lives which has been the reward of their exertions, and whilst feeling doubly grateful and thankful that ii; has been gathered in without the loss of a single life to those brave men who have voluntarily risked their own lives at the Institution's call, the Committee yet deeply regret having to report that at the beginning of this year three men were lost from the crew of the small life-boat stationed at the Lizard Point, in Cornwall, by the upsetting of their boat, when performing the quarterly practice—a service which has been found indispensable to give the crews of the life-boats a practical knowledge of their properties and requisite management, and to maintain them in a general state of efficiency. This unfortunate accident was, it is feared, caused by the imprudence of the coxswain, who unhappily perished on the occasion; but the Committee feel that accidents must be expected sometimes to occur; and they have been forcibly reminded by this calamity that, although they provide those who man the boats with every known means of safety, yet that the work in which they are called on to engage must ever be one of more or less peril, and that it therefore entitles the brave and hardy men who engage in it to the credit and praise which have ever been awarded to those who have exposed themselves to danger for the benefit of others, or for the public weal.

As illustrative of that danger, and of that courage and determination which can overcome it, the Committee cannot refrain from referring to the case of the St. Ives lifeboat, the crew of which, when endeavouring to save the lives of those on board a French schooner on Hayle Bar in October last, although .their boat was twice upset and they themselves thrown into the sea, yet twice regained her, and nobly persevered in their efforts until all but one of the French crew were in their boat, that one having perished in attempting to reach her.

Shipwrecks and Loss of Life.—As usual, shipwrecks have been during the past year very numerous on the coasts and in the seas of the British Isles. It appears from the Wreck Register of the Board of Trade that they amounted to 1,738, attended with the loss unhappily of 472 persons.

It is, however, an encouraging fact that the preservation of life from shipwreck continues steadily to make progress, and that the average loss, instead of being as in former years 1,000 per annum, is now not more than 600.

With regard to the operations of the Institution in this very important duty, the fact that the large number of 532 lives* have been saved in 1865, exclusively by its life-boats, bears ample testimony to the activity and success with which these services have been performed.

Again, 182 lives have been saved in the same period by fishing-boats and other means, a result due, in a large measure, to the encouragement the Institution gives to their crews to put forth their utmost efforts to save human life.

* During the Year 1865, the Life-boats of the Institution were instrumental in saving the Crews of the following wrecked vessels:— Fishing-boat, of Berwick-on-Twecd —Saved vessel and crew 6 Brig Elizabeth, of Shields—Saved vessel and crew 1 Lugger Marie Francois, le Pere Samson—Saved vessel and crew 4 Brig Willie Ridley, of Plymouth .. 8 Schooner Susan, of Dublin 4 Smack Leader, of Harwich 1 Schooner Anga, of Norway—Saved vessel and crew 4 Barque Amana, of Sunderland . 18 'Schooner Albion, of Teignmouth .. 6 Schooner Emma, of Barrow & Yawl Matchless, of Newhaven— * Saved vessel and crew 3 Brig Hants, of Odessa—Saved vessel ..

Barque Lexington, of Nassau—Assisted to save vessel and crew ... 14 Brig Border Chieftain, of Hartlepool 8 Schooner Delila, of Nantes 1 Brigantine Eclipse, of St. Ives 2 Schooner PfeU, of Blankanesse.... 7 Schooner Sate, of Lynn 4 Schooner Teazer, of Goole "-1 Ship's boat inEedwharf Bay, Angle-' sey 1 Brigantine Burton, of Wivenhoe... I Steamer Ocean Queen, of Newcastle 15 Lugger, Peepo'Day,of Wexford... 6 Barque Maria Soames, of London . ]9 Schooner Speed, of Wexford 6 Smack Agnes and Mary, of Glasgow 1 Sloop Catherine, of Liverpool- Saved vessel and crew 4 Schooner Johnson, of Exeter 4 Brigantine Light 'of (he Harem, of Whitstable—Saved yessel and crew' 4 Brig Steffarria, of Palermo—Saved vessel and crew 12 Schooner Henry Salman, of Plymonth —Saved vessel and crew .. 8 Schooner Dumas, of Liverpool ... 5 Brig Nautilus, of South Shields— Saved vessel and crew 9 Brig ffarlington, of Sunderland— Saved vessel and crew 9 Brig Kathleen, of Hartlepool—Saved vessel and crew 6 Schooner Patriot, of Earth 5 Sloop Robert ffood, of Newcastle-on- Tyne 2 French brig Providence, of Granville 4 Schooner Earl Zetland, of Almwch —Saved vessel and crew 5 Schooner Emma, of Barrow 6 Brig Reaper, of Scarborough 9 Schooner Franklin, of Belfast 4 Longships Lighthouse Keeper 1 Schooner Clara Brown, of Barrow. 4 Schooner Maria, of Hull—Saved vessel and crew 3 Fishing Coble, of Newbiggin 4 FishhigSmack,Spte i Jwi,ofGrinisby 9 Belgian Brig Espoir ,.. 11 Smack Dahlia, of Portmadoc— Saved vessel and crew 3 Lighter in Dublin Bay 5 Brig Argo, of Fayal—Saved vessel ..

Barque Diydens, of NortU Shields. 13 Brig Wearmouth, of Snnderland... 9 Brig Commerzieweathin Haupt, of Mecklenburg 11 Schooner Test, of Southampton 6 Brigantine Tabaco, of Hamburgh.. 5 Barque Atlas, of North Shields 13 Norwegian Barque Sirius—Saved vessel 1 BrigxinneowllfitrsMrfNorthSbields 9 Ship Savoir Faire,of Liverpool 23 Brig .Raven, of London—Saved vessel and crew 10 Schooner Token, of Jersey 6 Ship Orso, of North Shields 21 Smack Mary, of Cardigan 1 Steamer Barbadian, of Liverpool . 4 SchoonerZJanielO'C'onneK.ofArklow 5 Brig Zeeploeg, of Hoogez 7 Brig Lucy, of Sunderland 6 Schooner WUhelmina, of Veesdam 1 Ship Tenessarian, of Liverpool ... 34 Brigantine Neptune, of Delaware, U.S 9 Schooner Tom Cringle, of Thurso . 4 Barque Juliet, of Greenock 17 Barque Norma, of Bremen .16 Smack Dieu Protege Alexandra et' Leon, of Dieppe 7 Total Lives saved in 1865 by Lifeboats 532 During the same period the Institution has granted rewards forsaving Lives by fishing and other boats. 182 Grand Total 714 GEKTEEAIi STTMMAKY OS1 1865.

Number of Lives rescued by Life-boats, in addition to 20 vessels saved by them .

Amount of Rewards to Life-boat Crews Number of Lives saved by Shore-boats. &c.

Amount of Rewards to the Crews of Shore-boats Honorary Rewards: Silver Medals Votes of Thanks on Vellum and Parchment . . . .

Total 532 '£. s. d.

1,6»0 1 11 120 10 0 714 JS1.790 11 11.